Shawn Harper

Indiana University East’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration is on Tuesday, January 17. The day will feature keynote speaker Shawn Harper at 4 p.m. in Vivian Auditorium, located in Whitewater Hall. Refreshments will be served in Whitewater Hall Lobby prior to Harper’s speech at 3:30 p.m. Free shirts will be provided to guests.

The theme for this year’s celebration is “Moving the Dream Forward.” Events are sponsored by the IU East Diversity Events Committee.

A Candlelight Vigil will be held at 5 p.m. in the Whitewater Hall Lobby. The events are free and open to the public.

Harper is an Indiana University alumnus and a former football player for IU and the Indianapolis Colts. He will speak about moving the dream of Martin Luther King Jr. forward. Harper is currently CEO of American Services and Protection in Columbus, Ohio. He is an internationally acclaimed motivational speaker who shares the wisdom he gained from his life experiences.

Latishea Varnesdeel, special assistant to the chancellor and chief diversity officer, said Harper’s visit is in coordination with the Townsend Community Center event on Monday, January 16. Harper is the speaker for the annual breakfast and luncheon.

“We are excited to have Shawn Harper come to Richmond to celebrate MLK Day with the community and campus,” Varnesdeel said. “Having overcome obstacles of his own and persevering through it all, he is the perfect motivational speaker to talk with us about moving Dr. King’s dream forward!”